Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry PROJECT

JAPAN Brand Production Support Project
MORE THAN PROJECT

Outline

Visualize the process of projects on the web.
Design communication and nurture a community of selected companies for the project.

Since April 25, 2014, Loftwork has been in charge of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry’s JAPAN Brand Production Support MORE THAN Project Executive Office (Planning/Administration). We have supported the creation of opportunities and transmission of appeal of small to medium businesses and project teams who wish to send Japanese merchandise and services overseas for over a year.

Project Outline

Objectives
Increase recognition and results of second-year production operations.
Support the chosen small-to-medium business in expanding overseas by employing talented people from outside.
In addition to expansion of foreign markets for chosen project companies, aim to create a community of project companies.
Support Details
Yearly Project Management Support.
Event support with the goal of matching and merchandise display.
Branding support, including project name/project logo/sales promotion leaflet design.
Website construction/web promotion support.
Project Period
April 25, 2014 – March 31, 2015
Project Team
Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry
All chosen project team companies
Advisory board
Loftwork Inc.

Outputs

Total Creative Production

We totally produce promotional creative materials, including project names/logos, leaflets, portfolios, and project books.

Project Book

Information Transmission via Website

Loftwork supports communication strategies/content intended to make project processes visible such as Monthly Reports.

MORE THAN PROJECT Website

Details

Advisory Board

Along with advisory board members, we have established a place for regular project progress sharing and issue discussion.

Events

We produced periodic events as places for publication of project results and matching. In March 2015, we held our final results publication session the RUNWAY Open session.

Process

Support small-to-medium companies and project teams aiming at overseas markets

We support market research, merchandise improvement, PR, and distribution activities which small-to-medium companies and project teams with merchandise capitalizing on Japanese regional culture perform in order to expand overseas markets. Specifically, we assist with producer costs and travel expenses using money furnished by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

Establishment of an Advisory Board

We invite experts in each field, who excel at merchandise development capitalizing on Japan’s strengths and overseas information transmission, to be advisors. By forming them into an advisory board, regularly sharing the progress of each project and holding discussions to solve issues, we effectively, tangibly support businesses.

Event Period Opening

We hold business matching events with overseas creators and distributors. Through plans to publicize the project process, speeches by advisors, and presentations by businesses which aim to advance overseas, we have created specific business matching opportunities connected to foreign market expansion.

Support for Web-Based Information Transmission/Promotions

We create a report on project efforts for each phase and post them on the official site. By showing the process in addition to completed items, we support communication which elicits a lot of responses.